The Pleasure Contract by Caitlin Crews (best books to read in your 20s txt) 📕

to the side. “And not really my type. Also, get over yourself. Some women won’t like any of you.”

The Knights of Fury MC own this garage, and there’s no way I’m going to get involved in all of that. I love the men, though, I really do. They gave me a chance, and a job, when no one else would, and I will always owe them for that. But I’m not looking to bring my personal life into work. It’s hard enough building a reputation as one of the best custom bike designers, despite being female, so having a reputation for sleeping with the MC would do nothing but take away from that.

This is a male-dominated field, and it’s taken a lot of work for me to make a name for myself, so the last thing I want is to ruin that. And to be honest, since my ex I haven’t been interested in anything more than having fun. I don’t think messing around with any of them would be a smart decision.

They are more effort than they’re worth, all work and little reward.

And sex?

Well, you can get that anywhere.

Dee holds his hand against his heart as he stands. “Ouch, Cam. That hurt.”

I grin and roll my eyes. “What’s it to you?”

“Nothing, just curious,” he replies, following me out of the garage. “It’s not every day you meet a woman oblivious to our charms.”

I know the MC have been worried about me. Ever since we lost Billie, a woman I was close friends with and casually dating, I haven’t really felt like myself. I’ve been quiet, and the only time I leave my house is to go to work and back. I know everyone is thinking that I’m heartbroken, and I am, but more so because Billie had become one of my best friends. Yeah, we had a thing, but it wasn’t serious in that way—it was more just some fun for two girls who really got along well.

But the loss of a good friend, that grief has hit me hard.

“Well, I hope you feel humbled.” I laugh, shaking my head at him. “What about you, Dee? Still on your quest to find love?”

“I think I’ve given up on love,” he admits, and I’m with him there. He stops at Bronte’s desk and takes a seat there. Bronte is the receptionist here at the Fast & Fury custom garage, and she keeps the place running. The two of us have always got along well, but we’ve become even closer since our friend Billie died, and she’s become such an important fixture in my life.

I’ve worked here ever since I moved to the city, about two years ago now. I came in as a mechanic, but now I’m the creative director and artist, designing and creating beautiful custom motorcycles, and loving every second of it. I got my love for motorcycles from my dad and my love for art from my mother, and I love that my job incorporates both of them.

“Do you think Bronte has some chocolate stashed away somewhere?”

“It’s seven in the morning,” I say to him, arching my brow. “And don’t go through her shit, she will kill you.” I slap away his hand as he reaches for her drawer. The men around here have no boundaries whatsoever.

“What the hell are the two of you doing?” Trade asks curiously as he approaches, eying the two of us. He’s wearing worn jeans and a tight white T-shirt, and I can’t help but think what a lucky woman his partner Ariel is. Although he’s equally lucky, because she is also a catch. Between them, they have four beautiful children and make the cutest little family ever. “And why are you both here so damn early?”

“I wanted to fix up Dee’s paint job before we open,” I admit. Trade is pretty chill, but he runs the place differently than my former boss did. Not better or worse, just different, and I’ve had to adjust accordingly. Crow kind of let us do our own thing, in our own time and space, and Trade prefers a little more structure and routine. I don’t know Trade as well yet, so that might factor into it. Crow knew how good I was at my job, and what a hard worker I am, and I want to make sure that Trade sees the same. Not to mention Crow and I have a really close friendship, so there’s a different vibe that comes along with that. “And now I’m stopping Dee from stealing Bronte’s chocolate.”

“So she does have some.” Dee grins, eyes lighting up.

Trade ignores him, more concerned about his bike. “How did the paint scratch off?”

Dee nods toward the garage. “There was an incident involving her and a fence.”

“The woman he was sleeping with wasn’t necessarily single and her husband came home while they were...”

Trade blinks slowly. “I don’t even want to know.”

And I’m sure he doesn’t. Trade is Temper’s baby brother, and Temper is the president of the MC, and therefore Trade’s boss, and big brother.

Trade isn’t actually a member of the Knights, though. He didn’t think it was in his children’s best interests to be a member, but to be honest, he’s around all of them enough that anyone would assume he was one of them.

And he once was.

I don’t know if this is something you can just walk away from, but they’ve given him that illusion.

“You don’t need to, because it looks as good as new now.” Dee grins, turning to me. “Thanks to this goddess here. I owe you one, Cam.”

“You’re welcome. And you don’t owe me anything. Just try to avoid any fences from now on,” I reply, smirking. “Or maybe stay away from married women so you don’t have to leave their house in a rush, hence riding against a fence to begin with.”

He winces, nods as if considering my words, shrugs and then leaves.

“He’s a character,” I mutter to myself, shaking my head. “Where do they find these guys?”

Trade